Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
WO92/06912 2 0 9 3 6 ~1 PCT/US91/07115
TITLE: METHOD FOR EFFECTING A SET CHANGE IN A WINDER
Background of the Invention
Field of the Invention
This invention relates to winders used in the
papermaking industry for the continuous production of
successively wound rolls of paper. More particularly, this
invention relates to a method for cross-cutting the paper
web utilizing a skip-slitting laser, applying an adhesive to
the trailing and leading edges of the cross-cut paper web,
and applying the trailing edge to the previously wound roll
and the leading edge to a new core. Still more
particularly, this invention relates to the method of
effecting a set change in a winder wherein the web cross-
cutting apparatus, the adhesive application apparatus and
the adhesive activation apparatus are located upstream of
the first winder drum, and the web severance is after the
skip-slitting operation.
Description of the Prior Art
In prior winders in the papermAk;ng field, the various
functions of severing the web in the cross-machine
direction, adhering the trailing edge of the severed paper
web to the previously wound roll, and adhering the leading
edge of the severed web to a new core, or reel spool, have
not been especially well coordinated. Equipment is known,
for example, for urging the previously wound roll of paper
off of its support on a two-drum winder while coordinating
the insertion of a new core into the notch between the
winder drums. Also known is apparatus for applying glue to
the trailing or leading edges of the previously severed
paper web. Finally, various mechanical means are known for
severing the paper web while the web is either supported on
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20936S1 2
one of the winder drums or is stretched in a taut span above
a horizontal plane through the axes of a two-drum winder.
However, while the individual functions of severing the
web in the cross-machine direction, introducing a new core
into an initial position relative to the winder drums, and
applying glue to the trailing and leading edges of the
severed web are known in the art, all of these important
aspects of a winder set change have not heretofore been
coordinated in a winder which does not require one or more
of these functions be done by apparatus mounted between
and/or below the winder drums. Thus, in prior apparatus for
cross-cutting the web in a two-drum winder, such as shown
and described in U.S. Patent No. 4,368,855 (Scho~meier et
al), a cross-cutting knife must pass upwardly between the
two winder drums to sever the web while the web is held
against the surface of one winder drum. In Okubo et al,
U.S. Patent No. 3,918,654, apparatus is shown and described
which urges a wound roll of paper out of the winder while
simultaneously inserting a new core, but the web is also
severed by a knife moving upwardly from beneath the two
support drums. Adhesive is applied to two spaced regions on
the web supported on the top of one of the winder drums
which requires that the previously wound roll be removed
before the adhesive is applied.
In Dropczynski, U.S. Patent No. 4,485,979, a pivoted
apparatus is utilized for ejecting the previously wound
roll, severing the web and attaching the severed web onto a
new core. All of this activity takes place by apparatus
which must pivot about a winder drum and mechanically sever
the web and attach the leading edge onto a non-rotating
core.
Thus, in the prior art, all of the elements of a winder
set change were either not provided in the same apparatus,
or the apparatus was cumbersome to the extent that it
WO92/~912 2 0 9 3 6 ~ 1 PCT/US91/07115
required equipment to be located beneath the winder drums,
where it could not be serviced easily, or it was attached to
pivoted arms which were also used to move a wound roll out
of the winder, or to insert a new core, or both. This also
is cumbersome in that it requires all of the equipment to be
shut down when only one of the component parts providing a
specific function needs to be serviced.
Summary of the Invention
The operating deficiencies and inefficiencies of prior
winders, particularly two-drum winders, have been obviated
by this invention. In this invention, the cross-cutting,
but not complete severance, of the paper web, the
application of the adhesive, and the application of the
adhesive is provided by separate apparatus, each component
of which is positioned upstream of the first winder drum
where it can be easily serviced and replaced, if necessary,
without disrupting the other components needed to effect a
set change, which is the removal of a wound roll and the
initiation of winding of the web,onto a new core. In
addition, this invention utilizes the operation of the
winder drums individually and in conjunction with the
position and removal of the previously wound roll to effect
the actual severance of the web.
This method of effecting the set change preferably
utilizes a laser which is directed to cut the paper web in a
longitl~i n~l ly extending series of discrete slits which are
spaced from one another across the web to a perforate the
web. In other words, the laser is rapidly pulsed on and off
while its directed beam is transversely traversing the paper
web so as to produce a series of aligned holes or slits in
the web with non-perforated or non-slit portions of the web
between the cut portions. Two, parallel, co-extending
stripes of adhesive are sprayed onto the web with the
perforations/slits aligned between the stripes of adhesive.
The adhesive used preferably is of the type which is
WO92/~912 PCT/US91/07115
20936Sl
relatively inert so as to have little or no properties of
adherence until activated by a source of energy, such as
ultraviolet light, infrared light, or microwave energy,
which renders the adhesive active upon being exposed to the
source of energy. However, it is contemplated to use other
adhesives which are active to bond paper to paper and paper
to a new core inherently without having to be activated by
energy from an energy producing device.
By perforating, or skip-slitting, the web, the
continuous traveling web retains its continuous form and
integrity, and some of its machine direction strength, while
permitting adhesive to be applied to the trailing edge of
the unsevered portion of the web which will later be wound
onto the preceding wound roll of paper, and to the leading
edge of the unsevered portion of the web which will be wound
onto a new core. Since the web retains its structural
integrity, it can be passed around a rotating winder drum
and stopped over any portion of the drum periphery without
requiring support of the portions on either side of the
skip-slit or perforations. Further, such passage around the
winder drum and change of direction can be effected without
the adhesive contacting any surface to which it is not
intended to contact and ultimately adhere to. Finally, the
eventual severance of the web into a trailing portion which
is adhered to a wound roll of paper, and a leading portion
which is wound onto a new core, is effected by creating a
tension in the web at a desired time when the perforations
are in a span between the first winder drum and the
previously wound roll of paper. At the time of web
severance, the adhesive stripe on the leading edge of the
web is positioned to adhere it to a new core.
None of the equipment needs to be mounted beneath the
winder drums, and no knives needing sharpening or periodic
replacement are utilized.
WO92/~912 2 0 9 3 6 ~1 PCT/US91/07115
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to
provide a method for effecting an efficient set change in a
papermaking machine winder.
Another object of this invention is to provide a method
for severing a traveling paper web, including the use of
means, such as a laser, for skip-slitting the web, and
adhering the trailing edge of the severed portion of the web
to the wound paper roll, and adhering the leading edge of
the portion of the severed web onto a new core.
A feature and advantage of this invention is that a
winder set change is efficiently accomplished without the
need for adhesive and cross-cutting apparatus beneath the
winder drums.
An object, feature and advantage of this invention is
the provision of apparatus for effecting the winder set
change, including the determination of the location of the
eventual web severance, at a point upstream of the first
winder drum.
These, and other objects, features and advantages of
this invention will become readily apparent to those skilled
in the art when the following description of the preferred
embodiment is read in conjunction with the attached figures.
Brief Description of the Drawings
Figure 1 is a side-elevational view, in schematic form,
of a two-drum winder and showing the adhesive applicator,
adhesive activator, and laser cutter positioned upstream of
the first drum.
Figures lA, lB and lC illustrate the sequence of
applying parallel stripes of adhesive, activating the
adhesive to a state where it will adhere to a paper web, and
skip-slitting the web respectively. Figure lD is a plan
WO 92/06gl2 PCr/USgl/07115
2093 65 l 6
view along the lines "A"-"A" in Figures lA, lB, lC of the
traversing carriage on which is mounted the apparatus for
applying the adhesive, activating the adhesive, and
skip-slitting the web in the sequence shown in Figures lA,
lB and lC.
Figure 2 is a side-elevational view, in schematic form,
of a two-drum winder showing the web being severed under
tension at the skip-slit location as the wound roll rotates
over the second winder drum.
Figure 3 is a side-elevational view, in schematic form,
of a two-drum winder showing the web being severed under
tension at the skip-slit location with the upstream portion
being held against the front drum of the winder by vacuum
pressure.
Figure 4 is a side-elevational view of a two-drum
winder, in schematic form, showing the web being severed at
the skip-slit location by creating tension in the web as the
wound roll rotates over the second drum of the winder while
the upstream portion wraps the first drum.
Figures 5, 5A and 5B are end views, in schematic form,
of the two support drums in a two-drum winder and showing
combinations of first and second winder drum speed to create
severing tension in the web.
Figure 6 is a cross-sectional end view, in schematic
form, of one embodiment of the first drum on a two-drum
winder.
Figure 7 is a plan view of the paper web showing the
skip-slit cuts formed in the web by the laser and flanked by
parallel stripes of adhesive.
Figures 8 and 8A are side-elevational views, in
WO92/~912 2 0 9 3 5 5 1 PCT/US91/07115
schematic form, of a two-drum winder showing a new core
being inserted into position between the drums as the wound
roll of paper is removed (Figure 8), and the winding
operation comme~cing (Figure 8A).
Description of the Preferred Embodiment
In this description, with reference to the various
figures, corresponding elements in the different views will
be correspondingly numbered with different letter
postscripts to distinguish between the corresponding
elements. Similarly, corresponding elements in the same
view, or in a related series of views, will be
correspondingly numbered with different prime superscripts
to distinguish them.
As shown in Figure 1, a traveling paper web W is shown
passing over the last slitter roll 10 and passing onto and
around the first drum 12 of a two-drum winder 14 having a
second support drum 16 wherein the axes 18,20 of the two
support drums are in a substantially horizontal plane. A
roll of paper R is shown being supported on the two winder
drums as it is being wound to a desired diameter with the
on-coming paper web. The web, winder drums and wound roll
travel in the direction of arrows 22,24,26,28, as shown.
Also shown in Figure 1, positioned beneath the
traveling web upstream of the first winder drum 12, is the
adhesive applicator 30, the adhesive activator 32 and the
laser slitter 34. With reference to Figures lA, lB, lC and
lD, the preferred order of these devices, in the direction
of web travel 22, are the adhesive applicator 30, comprising
two, laterally spaced spray nozzles 36,36' which are spaced
in the direction of web travel 22. The applicator 30,
activator 32 and laser apparatus 34 are mounted on a
carriage 38, as shown in Figure lD, which is positioned
beneath the traveling web in Figure 1 and is adapted by
means (not shown) to traverse the web perpendicular to the
WO92/~912 PCT/US91/07115
2033 6S ~ 8
d1rection 22 of web travel. Thus, the depictions of the
applicator, activator and laser apparatus shown in Figures
l, lA, lB and lC are representations for purposes of
illustration only to show the sequence of the corresponding
steps; these actual devices can be in different forms which
are aligned in tandem on carriage 38 to traverse the web in
traversing direction 40 shown in Figures lD and 7. In fact,
in the preferred embodiment, laser apparatus 34 on carriage
38 actually takes the form of a mirror for directing the
laser beam against the paper web. Since the laser itself is
relatively large and cumbersome, it is mounted outside the
winder and its laser beam is directed against the web by a
series of turning mirrors, the last one of which is mounted
on the carriage. The laser and mirrors, per se, do not form
part of the invention, so they will not be described in
further detail. Further, it is also contemplated that other
means, such as a water jet, or a reciprocity knife, could be
mounted on the carriage to be intermittently actuated to
produce the skip-slits transversely across the web.
Accordingly, downstream of the adhesive applicator is
the adhesive activator apparatus which comprises one or more
energy producing devices 42,42' which direct energy, such as
ultraviolet light, infrared light or microwaves, against the
stripes of adhesive 44,44' to activate the adhesive to a
state, or condition, where it will adhere two pieces of the
paper web together or adhere the web onto a core.
Downstream of the energy producing devices 42,42' is a laser
46 which is arrayed to direct a laser beam 48 against the
taut span of the web W between the first winder drum 12 and
the slitter roll lO to produce a series of aligned cuts 50
transversely of the paper web as shown in Figure 7. Such
aligned cuts can take the form of either a series of closely
spaced holes, or they can take the form of a series of
spaced, end-aligned slits having a length which is
predetermined. The function of the laser is to produce cuts
in the traveling web which will enable the web to be severed
WO92/~912 2 0 9 3 ~ 5 1 PCT/US91/07115
along a path defined by the perforations/slits produced by
the laser upon tensioning the web above a predetermined
tension force, but retA; n; ng enough uncut span of the web to
provide it with sufficient structural integrity to permit
the web to travel in its guided path around the first winder
drum and onto the roll of paper being wound under normal
operating conditions, including normal operating tension in
the traveling web.
As shown in Figure 6, the first drum on the winder can
comprise a plain surfaced cylinder, or it can comprise a
so-called suction roll 12a having a perforated roll shell
13, a hollow center support beam 15 and a pair of
longitll~;n~lly extending seals 17,17' which define an
arcuate segment beneath the roll surface. A source of
vacuum, not shown, applied to the interior of beam 15
produces sub-atmospheric air pressure through perforations
l9 to the roll surface to-urge the paper web wrapping the
roll between the seals to remain against the roll.
In operation, with reference to Figures l, lA, lB, lC
and 7, a roll R is being wound on the support winder drums
12,16. When the wound roll reaches the desired diameter,
the web W is briefly halted, and the carriage 38 contAi n; ng
the adhesive applicator 30, the adhesive activator 32 (if
required due to the type of adhesive used) and the slitter
34 arranged in t~n~Pm is passed beneath the web to produce
the skip-slits 50 extending transversely across the web and
flanked by two parallel stripes of adhesive which have been
activated. In other words, two stripes 44,44' are applied
to the web by spray nozzles 36,36'. Immediately, the two
stripes are activated by energy devices 42,42'. Then, the
laser beam 48 cuts the skip-slits 50 in the web between the
activated adhesive stripes. The web is restarted and
travels with the activated glue stripes on the side of the
web opposite the side of the web engaging the surface of the
first winder drum 12.
WO92/~912 PCT/US91/07115
209365~ 10
When the slits 50 and parallel glue stripes 44,44' have
reached the position shown in Figures 2, 3 or 4, with the
trailing glue stripe 44 in approximately the 10 o'clock
position over the surface of the first winder drum 12, the
web is halted and severed in one of several, generally
related operations.
The web is severed by applying tension force to it
sufficient to cause the web to tear between the slits 50 cut
into it by the laser. This tension is produced by applying
a force, shown schematically in Figures 2 and 4 by arrow 52,
to cause the wound roll R to rotate about its radius over
the surface of the second drum 16c while the upstream
portion of the web is held over the surface of a plain
surfaced first drum 12c (Figure 4), or the web is held
against the perforated surface of a first drum 12b ~Figure
3) by a vacuum pressure force produced beneath the web
against a portion of the drum surface subtended by an arc 54
over a suction gland 55 connected to a source of vacuum (not
shown), which is shown in detail in Figure 6 and
schematically by the vacuum chamber end seals 17,17' in
Figure 3.
The force 52 preferably takes one of two preferred
forms. In the first, a rotatable roller having a
longittl~ i n~ 1 axis parallel with the longitudinal axis of
roll R being wound engages the surface of roll R. The
roller permits roll R to rotate without rubbing the surface
to damage the paper. In the second, a pair of arms support
a sliding plate, or plates, which are mounted in conjunction
with a core holder. When the arms, which can be pivoted,
move the plate(s) against the surface of roll R, the plate
slides along a tangent to the roll at its line of contact
therewith and in the direction of roll rotation. This
permits the force 52 to be applied to move, or rotate, roll
R without relative movement between the sliding plate and
wo 92/06912 2 0 9 3 S 5 1 Pcr/us91/07l15
11
the surface of roll R, which also prevents damage to the
paper on the surface of roll R. Thus, both the rotatable
roller and sliding plate types of roll ejector 52 prevent
relative movement between the ejector and wound roll as it
rotates out of the winder.
The configuration shown in Figure 2 is substantially
generic to the configurations shown in Figures 3 and 4. In
the case where the web W comprises a somewhat heavy sheet,
such as kraft paper or liner board, the tension provided
would preferably take the form shown in Figure 4 where the
structure of the first winder drum 12c provides the
resistance to the tension in the downstream portion Wd of
the web W.
In the case where the web is lightweight, such as
tissue, the vacuum pressure provided by the vacuum gland 55
defined by seals 17,17' within the perforated first drum 12b
could be sufficient to hold the upstream portion Wu of the
web onto the surface of the first drum as the web is severed
along skip-slits 50 under the tension provided by the wound
roll being removed.
The removal of the wound roll is initiated by the
application of a lateral force 52a to the side of the wound
roll, but the tension in the downstream portion of the web
wrapped around the wound roll can be controlled, and the
speed of the wound roll removal and web severance increased
by controlling the relative movement between the second and
first winder drums 12a,12b. Thus, as shown in Figure 5, the
winder drums shown in Figures 1-4 can be operated in
different combinations of rotation or being stopped as shown
in Figures 5, 5A and 5B. Specifically, with reference to
Figure 5, the first winder drum 12 can be stopped as
indicated by symbol 25 and the second winder drum 16 rotated
in the direction of arrow 26. Referring to the situation in
Figure 2, for example, when the force 52a urging the wound
WO92/~912 PCT/US91/0711
2~g3 6S ~ 12
roll from being supported below by both winder drums to be
supported below solely on the second winder drum 16a, and
laterally by the roller or sliding plate of force 52 which
lifts the roll over the second winder drum, the rotation of
the second winder drum, with or without continued traveling
motion of the wound roll over the surface of the second
winder drum, produces increased tension in the web which
severs the web into a downstream portion Wd and an upstream
portion Wu.
In Figure SA, the web severing tension is produced by
rotating the first drum 12' relatively slowly in the
direction of arrow 24, and the second drum 16' is rotated
relatively faster in the direction of arrow 26. The speed
differential between the two winder drums produces tension
in the web sufficient to sever it along the slits 50
previously cut into the web by the laser.
As shown in Figure 5B, both the first and second winder
drums can be stopped 25,27 and the web severed by the
increased tension produced as the wound roll R is pushed
over the surface of the second drum 16" which increases the
distance between the tangent point of the downstream portion
of the web on the wound roll and the upstream portion of the
web held against the surface of the first drum. This is the
preferred configuration for producing the web severing
tension.
With reference to Figures 8 and 8A, when the web has
been severed and the previously wound roll moving away from
the winder in the direction of arrow 57, the activated
adhesive stripe 44' on the end of the downstream portion Wd
of the web will bond the trailing edge of the web to the
wound roll. In the case where the ejector (force 52)
includes a rotatable roller or a sliding plate, the bonding
of the trailing edge to the wound roll will be done when the
trailing edge passes through the nip between the roll and
WO92/~912 2 0 9 3 6 ~1 PCT/US91/07115
the roller or plate. The upstream stripe 44 of activated
glue on the leading end of the upstream portion Wu of the
web will be approximately in the lO o'clock position over
the first winder drum surface. A new core, or reel spool, 8
will be positioned in the winder and moved downwardly in the
direction of arrow 59 to contact the upstream activated
adhesive stripe 44 and winding will cnmmence on the new core
as it rotates on drums 12d',16d' in the direction 61 as
shown in Figure 8A. The location of the upstream end of the
web over the surface of the first winder drum will vary
somewhat according to operating conditions, and the upstream
portion will be positioned according to whether the web is
held against the drum surface by vacuum pressure, or its
inherent stiffness, or some combination of both. It is also
contemplated that, if necessary, due to some unusual
combination of web stiffness and operating conditions
related to the timing of the new core insertion, some
external m~Anc, such as an arm pivoting about either drum,
could be used to assist in maint~ining the upstream portion
Wu of the web in position over the first drum as the new
core is being inserted.
To recapitulate the method, in view of the continuous
nature of the operation, either a roll of paper web is being
wound while supported on the two drums, or a new core is
inserted onto the adhesive stripe at the end of the web,
which is stopped with the adhesive stripe located at
approximately the lO o'clock position over the surface of
the first winder drum. In either case, winding of the wound
paper roll continues until the wound roll approaches a
predetermined diameter.
At this point, within a wrap or two of the desired
wound roll diameter, the on-coming paper web is briefly
stopped. Carriage 38 is activated to traverse the web.
Spray nozzles 36 of adhesive applicator 30 apply two,
parallel stripes 44,44' of adhesive across the web.
WO92/~912 PCT/US91/07115
2093 6S ~ 14
Immediately behind applicator 30, and aligned over stripes
44,44', are activators 32,32' which direct energy against
the stripes to change them from an essentially inert state
to an active state such that it will bond the web to the
paper on the wound roll or to a new core. Although this is
the preferred type of adhesive, it is contemplated that an
adhesive which does not re~uire an energy device to activate
it could be used so long as it is effective on paper and
cores. Laser 46, which is downstream of the adhesive
applicator and adhesive activator, alternately pulses its
beam 48 on and off as the carriage moves to produce a series
of end-aligned cuts, or skip-slits 50, across the web
between the adhesive stripes.
The web is thus partially cut but retains enough
structural integrity to enable it to follow a defined path
over the first drum and toward the periphery of the roll
being wound. The winder is started to move the skip-slit
and stripes downstream and partially over the first drum.
When the adhesive stripes have been advanced to
approximately the lO o'clock position over the first drum
12, the web is again halted, and it is severed along the
skip-slits/perforations by increasing the tension in the web
by urging the wound roll off its support on the first and
second drums in combination with the relative speed/stoppage
of the first and second drums as depicted in Figures 5, 5A
and 5B and described above.
The downstream stripe of adhesive on the severed
downstream end of the web is attached to the wound paper
roll as it is rolled off the winder. The upstream stripe
rem~;nc over the first winder drum in approximately the lO
o'clock position where it is engaged by a new core as it is
lowered into position in the notch between the winder drums.
WO92/06912 2 0 9 3 6 ~ 1 PCT/US91/07115
The set change has been completed, and the winder is
again started with a new core being wound into a new roll by
the rotating drums.
Depending on whether the first dryer drum is a plain
surfaced roll, or whether it comprises a vacuum roll having
a perforated drum, and further reflecting the anticipated
speed of the set change to be effected and the type of paper
being wound, several combinations of relative rotational
speed, including completely halting their rotation, can be
made in the relative rotational speeds of the first and
second winder drums. In all cases, the speed of the second
winder drum moves no slower than the same speed of the first
winder drum such that pivotal motion of the wound roll over
the surface of the second winder drum produces increased
tension in the web to cause it to sever along the skip-slit
cuts between the activated stripes of adhesive previously
applied on the web.
Upon severance of the web, the downstream edge of the
web continues to rotate with the wound roll and eventually
becomes bonded thereto either under the force of its own
weight or upon passing through the nip between the wound
roll and the second winder drum or a subsequent support
member on its way to further processing.
The end of the upstream portion of the paper web
rPmA; nC supported over the first winder drum with the
upstream stripe of adhesive located at approximately the lO
o'clock position on the first winder drum due to its
residual stiffness or drape upon being severed in that
position, or due to its being held against the surface of
the first winder drum by the sub-atmospheric pressure
induced within the drum beneath the perforated surface at
that position, or due to some externally applied means, such
as an arm moved about the drum.
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93~S ~ 16
Accordingly, it is seen that a new method for effecting
the set change in a winder has been shown and described
which achieves the objects and exhibits the features and
advantages set forth. Naturally, variations in the
invention can be made without dèparting from the spirit and
scope of the appended claims which alone define and limit
the invention.
